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Gerrymandering discussed

MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved, with all commissioners present, a resolution in support of a Voters Not Politicians’ efforts to place a initiative on the Nov. 6 ballot.

If passed, the initiative would amend Michigan’s constitution to allow the creation of a transparent, nonpartisan independent citizens redistricting commission that would follow strict criteria for creating voter districts and hold public hearings during the process.

According to Voters Not Politicians, the nonprofit, nonpartisan group that petitioned to get the initiative on the Nov. 6 state ballot, the initiative, if passed, would end gerrymandering — the practice of manipulating voter district boundaries for the benefit of a political party — by taking decisions on voting district lines out of the hands of the legislature.

“In Michigan, the Legislature (redraws districts) and it can create, if it’s abused, a very lopsided system,” VNP Education Coordinator Gene Champagne said at the July 3 meeting of county board, adding both Democrats and Republicans “are guilty of it … (If) they have the chance and governorship to support it, they’ll do it.”

Champagne gave commissioners a short presentation on gerrymandering and the ballot initiative at the meeting, asking for the board to formally support the initiative, which he said if passed, will “effectively end the process of gerrymandering, which is the manipulation of voting district lines by the party in power to ensure the re-election will maintain their power.”

Chairman Gerald Corkin had noted his support for VNP’s mission at the July 3 meeting — with the approval of the board at last night’s meeting, a resolution in support of the initiative will be sent to VNP, as well as all Marquette County municipalities and all chairs of U.P. counties, Corkin said.

“A successful outcome by the effort of Voters Not Politicians with this ballot initiative will go a long way in correcting a distorted democratic process and will bring the voice of citizens to the forefront again, as such Marquette County supports this ballot initiative,” Corkin said at the meeting, reading from the resolution.

Gerrymandering hits close to home in Marquette County, Corkin said, as two municipalities in Marquette County vote with a different district than the rest of the county — Ishpeming and Powell townships vote with Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, Iron, Ontonagon and Gogebic counties in the 110th House District, instead of with the 109th district, which covers the rest of Marquette County, as well as Alger, Schoolcraft and Luce counties.

“Everybody that lives in Marquette County should be aware of gerrymandering, because two of our townships that are in the 110th district, Ishpeming Township and Powell (Township),” Corkin said.

The initiative aims to end situations like this through a ” fair, impartial and transparent process that will help ensure that every vote does indeed count equally,” the resolution states.

Corkin said the evidence of gerrymandering — and its effects, are clear across Michigan.

“When one party gets 50,000 more votes statewide during an election and its beaten in the seats to congress by four or five, then you know what gerrymandering’s all about,” he said.

The resolution states creating an independent citizens redistricting commission would better represent the interests of Michigan voters.

“Marquette County strongly believes that a revised process to establish voter districts … will more accurately represent the people in the State of Michigan versus the existing process that includes State legislators. Which, under the current system, Districts can be manipulated to benefit the political party in power,” Corkin said, reading from the resolution.

Commissioners thanked Champagne and VNP for their work on the initiative.

“I’d just like to thank (Champagne) and their group for all the hard work they’ve done on this project — it’s really a needed project, and you’ve worked hard,” Commissioner Karen Alholm said.

Champagne thanked commissioners for their support of initiative.

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman and thank you board for embracing this important item of resolution in support of the ballot initiative tonight,” he said, adding “it’s so vital to democracy, the right to vote and equal voting districts, so that’s the very foundation and so many things need to get moving in government — and we’re not going to get going if we don’t start on a very basic premise.”

However, the Michigan Supreme Court announced July 6 that it will hear oral arguments in a special session to be held today to determine if the measure will be on the ballot.

The measure already withstood review by the Michigan Court of Appeals and was certified by the State Board of Canvassers after it was legally challenged by Citizens Protecting Michigan’s Constitution, which said the amendment is too broad of a constitutional revision to be on the ballot.

In a statement about today’s court session, Katie Fahey, founder and executive director of VNP wrote: “Our legal team is confident that our ballot proposal meets all requirements to go before voters in November. We are prepared to make that argument to the Michigan Supreme Court.”

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is cbrown@miningjournal.net.

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